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| I bought a climbing rose called "Golden Showers" two years ago. It has bloomed yellow flowers until this past year-the blooms were red! I was told that commercial growers graft their roses on Dr. Huey rootstock. Is it possible the graft died and the rootstock took over? I am curious because I am trying to decide if I should replace it this year. Thanks!! |
Follow-Up Postings:
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| Yes, that is what happened. You are now growing Dr. Huey--the "golden" part evidently got frozen and died, leaving only the rootstock to grow. What garden zone are you in? I can't imagine how cold it would have to get to kill off the "golden" part. I grew Golden Showers for 15 years and never did anything to winter protect it, although the neighbor's oak leaves probably provided a little protection. On the other hand, I probably planted the graft several inches under the soil line--which protects the rose. If you didn't do that with yours, make sure you do in the future--with a buried graft, most roses can survive amazingly cold weather--though those early spring freeze-thaw-freeze-thaw cycles can devastate even the hardiest roses sometimes. So sorry you lost Golden Showers--usually a good tough rose. If you liked it, I'd get it again. Kate |
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- Posted by kstrong 10 So Cal (kathystrong@gmail.com) on Thu, Jan 16, 14 at 11:16
| Time to start over. Pull out that Dr. Huey before it takes over your property. Dr. Huey was a good rose (and indeed a breakout color) in its day (roughly the 1920's and 30's) but those days are long gone. Basically now it is a rose that only blooms one time per season, on old wood (i.e. that wood that didn't freeze off from last year) and it gets every disease known to man and spreads them to your other roses. And any little piece of root that is alive underground WILL sprout and become a whole big plant of it. So it's a pest. That's why in SoCal you can see whole neighborhoods that have enormous plants of the same red rose, sometimes tended by ignorant homeowners with great care. Kind of funny actually. So it's time to find another climber you like. If it is a good planting time now in your area, one of the better (not to mention cheaper) mailorder sources is S&W Greenhouse, which has a pretty good selection of climbers, and they will tell you which ones are grafted and which are able to be grown on their own roots. If you don't want the Dr. Huey to take over again, choose one that is sufficiently vigorous as an "own root: specimen from their "own root" list. |
Here is a link that might be useful: S&W Greenhouses
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| Thank-you for your responses! I am in Western NC and we are a Zone 6. We had a fairly mild winter last year and I haven't had any issues with my other roses. We did have a lot of rain which may have washed some of the soil away from the graft. It used to collect in the area where my climbing rose is until we put in a drain. I think I will definitely pull it up. I am looking at replacing it with "New Dawn". I have heard it is a very vigorous climber and it has gorgeous blooms. I will look into S&W as well! |
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